Ingredient dictionary

Soaps that often contain strong cleansing ingredients, they are often overly drying.

Can be derived from coconut; used primarily as a detergent cleansing agent and is considered gentle.

Can be derived from coconut; used primarily as a detergent cleansing agent and is considered gentle.

Emulsifying agent that can be used to enhance formulary texture.

Legumes that are often ground up for use in skincare scrub products.

Quaternary ammonium salt that plays a variety of roles in cosmetic formulations, including emulsifier, surfactant, and conditioning agent. Also enhances delivery of actives.

Used as a preservative in skincare products.

Mixture of polyethylene glycols of various molecular weight that can function as stabilising agents, solubolizers, and surfactants.

Mixture of polyethylene glycols of various molecular weight that can function as stabilising agents, solubolizers, and surfactants.

Amino acid derivative that works as a skin-softening agent and helps protect skin’s surface from water loss. In certain formulations, it can also be used as a cleansing agent.

Produced by the condensation of octanol (non-sensitizing fatty alcohol) and glycerin (humectant); serves multiple formulary roles including emollient, surfactant and preservation-booster.

Plays various roles depending on the formula, including being used as a thickener, texture enhancer, cleansing surfactant and solubilising agent to help ingredients stay mixed together.

This ingredient has mild cleansing properties on its own but is primarily used to create stable liquid emulsions or richer creams when blended with substantive emollients.

Serves multiple functions in personal care products, including working as a surfactant, emulsifier, preservative, and conditioning agent.

This type of salt serves as a cleanser, anti-static and foaming agent in cosmetics.

Both cocamide DEA (diethanolamine) and MEA (monoethanolamine) are widely used ingredients to thicken the water phase of cosmetics, keep ingredients blended, and boost foaming properties...